1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to metallic anchoring elements for structural building components and, more particularly to a tie anchor for reinforced sandwich panels of cast concrete in which a number of tie anchors support a face panel on a carrier panel by reaching through an intermediate insulating panel.
2. Description of the Prior Art
From the prior art in this field is known a tie anchor of stainless steel sheet in the form of a rectangular flat plate with positioning bores near its small sides at the axial ends of the tie anchor body, each axial end portion of the tie anchor reaching through an interstice in a reinforcing steel rod mesh of one of the two concrete panels, where the tie anchor is secured by means of positioning rods which engage the positioning bores of the end portions behind the associated steel rod mesh.
This known tie anchor, while being of simple shape and very easy to insert through an intermediate insulating panel of foamed plastic, has the shortcoming that it does not offer the possibility of securing the tie anchor in the casting form in a predetermined orientation in relation to the reinforcing steel rod mesh, prior to and during the casting of the first panel.
Accordingly, it is possible for these prior art tie anchors to be pivoted out of position by the flowing concrete, as the first panel of the assembly is cast around its reinforcing steel rod mesh. Only the concrete of a cured first panel stabilizes the orientation of the tie anchors during the subsequent assembly steps.
A further shortcoming of this prior art tie anchor relates to the fact that it may create problems in connection with the insertion of its end portions through the interstices of the two steel rod meshes. On the one hand, the interstices of one mesh may not be transversely aligned with those of the other mesh. On the other hand, the structural requirements may demand a tie anchor of a width which is larger than the mesh openings.
Attempts to realign the second steel rod mesh in the casting form in response to misaligned interstices are subject to the risk of creating distortions and/or a permanent misalignment between the two steel rod meshes. In the past, therefore, the solution to both problem situations has been to cut away parts of the steel rod mesh, in order to create the necessary openings for the insertion of the tie anchors. Obviously, the result of this kind of remedial action is a weakening of the reinforcing steel rod mesh, the weakened area being the area in which the tie anchor is attached to the mesh.